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There is so much talk about how to get rid of the clutter in your life. I’ve seen posts on pantries, offices, homes in general and just getting rid of stuff. I think decluttering is so much more than the “stuff” you keep around. Here are my 12 steps to Declutter your life.
Get rid of duplicates
Duplicate items take up space. If you don’t have a specific need for multiples, then get rid of them. Sell them, donate them, throw them if necessary. It doesn’t do you any good to have ten spatulas when you can only use one or two at any given time.
Have you used it in the past year?
Another tip to declutter, If you haven’t used an item in the past year, likely you don’t need it, especially if you can borrow that item from someone. For example, we don’t have a trailer and do occasionally need one to haul brush or bark chips. Instead of buying and storing the trailer, we borrow one from a family member or a friend.
Can you digitalize it?
A fast way to declutter all those kids paintings and pictures is to digitalize them. Do you need to keep 1000 of your kid’s pictures they drew growing up? Or can you take photos of them and create a scrapbook out of them to remember all those moments? Sometimes there isn’t a way to digitize something memorable, but for most paper type things you can. And you should! Those items will take up so much less space in a scrapbook or saved to your computer.
Are you only keeping this because you would feel guilty if you didn’t?
I know I’ve struggled with this. My friend, grandma, mom, sister, etc. gave me this item. Therefore, I can’t get rid of it. Well to tell you the truth, you can get rid of it and help declutter your house. Clean up the extra stuff you’ve held onto in your life and house, and stop being guilty about it.
Does it have a place?
Do you have a dedicated space to the item? If you don’t need it, get rid of it. If you do need it, find a place for it to live. If everything has a place it not only makes finding it more manageable, you know it’s important because you’ve made room for it.
If you saw this item in a store now would you buy it?
You may look at something and think I loved this so much. Well ok, but do you love it now. Does the retro bowl set that you’ve replaced still belong in your kitchen cupboard? If not help yourself declutter and donate that item. You never know when someone else might really need that retro bowl set.
Declutter: 1 in 1 out rule
The one in and one out rule seems so easy but can be so hard. If you buy a shirt, throw a shirt away. Found a great deal on a pair of shoes, awesome, but then as soon as you get home… toss an old pair. This way you aren’t bringing in more than you have space for and keep an inventory of what you need.
Know your clutter zones
Every house has clutter zones that we regularly declutter. These are those places that naturally seem to gather the things. For me, it’s our kitchen counter and our mail area. I feel like gremlins sometimes come in and just put things there so I’ll be annoyed and freaked out that I can’t seem ever to keep them clean. Knowing where these areas are can help you keep everyone aware and ensure that if you walk by and see stuff starting to accumulate that you immediately clean it up and return those items to their homes.
Create a goal list
Decluttering not only applies to physical things but to emotional things too. Create a goal list of things you are focusing on, so you don’t get sidetracked. If you haven’t yet check out our free ebook: Beyond Chaos to learn about how to create goals you can stick to.
Emotional Fitness
Take stock of your emotional well being. Are you able to physically remove items from your home? If you are feeling like this is a pointless task and not something you can accomplish reach out to find out what is causing the emotional block. You may find you are a hoarder and need to seek help. Tell your family or friends and get assistance if needed.
Motivate yourself
I genuinely believe that your mindset will set you apart from success and failure. Do you believe in yourself? It’s as simple as that. Being positive can and will change your life if you let it. YOU have to believe in yourself, your goals and your aspirations to achieve them. Check out our article on what is a vision board to help you visualize what’s most important to you.
Self Care
Last but not least, take care of yourself. If you aren’t taking care of your basic self-care needs, you may find yourself having a harder time letting things go. Find a few easy ways to reward and take care of yourself!
We hope you enjoyed our article on 12 ways to declutter your life. If you have other tips, contact us or leave us a comment down below.
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